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March 1, 2014

I was asked to assume the left sims position on the x-ray table.
The female technologist gave me a brief rectal exam. She lubricated a blue
plastic nozzle about the width of a cigar, and inserted it up my rectum about
4".

Next she inflated a balloon on the tip of the nozzle, which was
a little uncomfortable. It sort of gave me the false feeling like I needed to
poop. The technologist opened the clamp and I felt a sudden rush of warmth in my
lower stomach. I started feeling some pressure and cramping, and she stopped the
flow several times to ease the discomfort a little. Towards 3/4 of the bag, I
couldn't hold it any longer. She followed me to the toilet, deflated the
balloon, and took the nozzle out of my rectum. I was left alone to expel. After
cleaning my behind of chalky liquid, I had to get back on the x-ray table. The
nozzle was reinserted, balloon inflated, and air was pumped inside me. That was
really uncomfortable. The quickly helped me into all the various positions I had
to get in, taking x-rays along the way. The radtech opened the valve and the
pressure inside me eased, which I was thankful for finally.

I was taken to a nearby room in the x-ray suite, which had it's
own exam table and toilet. A large clear enema bag of about 3qts was already
prepared on an IV pole. A female CNA arrived shortly, and gave me very
unpleasant cleansing enemas, which used up two of the clear bags. The whole
ordeal was what I would describe as Physically Very Unpleasant because there was
lots of cramping. The nozzle insertions weren't that bad, but the repeated
expulsions made by bottom sore.

It was one of my most most humiliating experiences ever. The
girls and the CNA doing the test and enemas were younger than me by at least 10
years, and at least attractive looking. I was overexposed several times because
of the hospital gown. Sure was glad they didn't seem to give a damn what was
hanging out. I don't want to have that done again.

December 26, 2013

I got up at 5:00 am this morning and took the last part of the prep - the
suppository. My ass felt like it was on fire from the first part of the prep, so
this really burned. I left for the hospital at 7:00 am and arrived at
approximately 7:30 am. After registering at the hospital outpatient center, I
was given a sheet of paper and my hospital card, and was told to go down one
floor to the Radiology Department. I made it to Radiology, handed the paperwork
to the receptionist, and took my turn waiting with everyone else.

After about 10-15 minutes, I heard a nurse call my name. I followed her to a
small changing room (a small 4 foot by 4 foot closet-like room with a sliding
door), and was given a long hospital gown (which was open in the back), as well
as a pair of hospital pants. I was told to "Please remove everything" and was
told to wait here until she returned. The nurse returned approximately 5 minutes
later, and led me into a small 15 foot by 20 foot room with an x-ray table to
the right with the big x-ray machine hovering above it, a TV monitor next to the
table, and an IV stand with an empty white plastic arm for the enema bag.

As I entered the room, I looked around for the enema equipment, but it wasn't
there yet. To the left of the table were some cabinets with a counter beneath
them. On the counter were some small items, but in plain view were 2 disposable
gloves and a blue and white tube of Surgical Lube jelly. The nurse told me to
sit on the table to wait for the radiology nurse. About 2-3 minutes later, a
dark-haired nurse came in - she must have been in her late 30's or early 40's.
After explaining to me what was going to happen, she had me lie down on my
stomach for some preliminary x-rays of my stomach to make sure that my system
was empty. After 3 pictures were taken, I rolled back onto my back and waited
for the rest of the procedure to commence.

The nurse left the room for 2-3 minutes and came back with a clear enema bag
filled with the chalk-white barium liquid, and 2 different enema nozzles. One
nozzle was a solid white bulb-type nozzle (I think they call this the N-tip
nozzle), and the other was a peach-colored nozzle that had a retention balloon
apparatus on the tip of it. The peach nozzle didn't seem to have as big a bulb
tip on the end of it, but the stem of the nozzle seemed a bit larger (not as
tapered as the white one). There was also a small second tube attached to the
peach enema nozzle that was attached to a small hand pump for the balloon. I
asked the nurse why she had two nozzles, and she told me that the enema kit
comes with 2 of them. She explained that the peach nozzle was made to help
patients retain the liquid easier, and that was the one she was going to use on
me.

I watched her as she assembled the enema components and lubricate the enema
nozzle. She then told me to lie on my left side, when she flipped up my gown,
and slipped my hospital pants down just to the top of my thigh. I then felt her
lift up my right butt cheek and press the nozzle against my butt hole. The
nozzle wouldn't slide in at first (plus my butt was still a bit sore from the
prep), but after rubbing the nozzle up and down a bit to spread the lubricant,
in it went (my best guess was 2 to 3 inches or so). I remember feeling 3 or 4
ridges on the nozzle as it was inserted, plus it felt a little wider than it
looked. It was cold at first, but later it didn't feel bad at all. She told me
to roll over onto my back, and said that the radiologist would be in a few
minutes.

About 5 minutes later, the radiologist came in and said matter of factly "We're
going to make you feel a bit uncomfortable", but also that I should have no
problem retaining the barium, so he was not going to inflate the retention
balloon unless I was having difficulty holding it in. You see, the balloon
itself adds quite a bit of pressure inside your rectum, which would have made it
more uncomfortable. As the doctor was talking to me, he said that the barium was
already flowing, which surprised me because I couldn't feel anything inside me.
The doctor kept telling the nurse "More barium......OK, stop" over and over
again. I kept waiting for the pressure to build, but surprisingly, it never did
(at least not as much as I anticipated). I was then told to roll over slightly
on my left side, then slightly onto my right side, then back onto my back. As I
complied, they snapped quite a few pictures in rapid succession. The doctor said
all along that I was doing great, and after about 5-10 minutes the filling was
complete, and the radiologist left the room (it was just the nurse and I).

The nurse then had me lie on my stomach and took a couple of more x-rays. She
then had me lie down on my back again and took the enema bag and lowered it to
the floor. She unclipped the tube and let most of the barium flow back into the
enema bag. She then told me to lie on my left side again and waited for the
barium to drain back into the bag. She then held the nozzle and pushed it a
little deeper inside of me to try to get the last bit of barium to flow back
into the bag. She then pulled it out a little bit and waited again for about a
minute or so. She then told me that she was going to remove the nozzle. I felt
her again lift up my right butt cheek, and she slowly withdrew the nozzle from
my behind. As she pulled the nozzle out, I remember feeling 3 or 4 ridges on the
nozzle again. It felt like "bump....bump..bump....bump", and out it came. She
told me to go to the bathroom (which was in the corner of the room) to empty out
whatever was left (which actually was not very much).

The nurse then had me lie once again down on my stomach to take the final x-ray
pictures (to make sure that everything was drained properly). After the final
picture was taken, I was told that the exam was complete. I went back to the
bathroom, changed into my clothes, and went home.

That was my experience. Believe me, having a Barium Enema is much easier than
you would think, plus it sure beats having a Colonoscopy.

April 11, 2013

I've had two barium enemas, both back when I was in my 20s. As for the
experience, I found it to be both physically uncomfortable and embarrassing.
Chances are, females will be performing the test, as for some reason radiology
is predominately a woman's science these days. Don't be surprised if the gown
they have you wear leaves you showing more to the technologist than she needs to
see.....don't worry, she could care less how naked you are, it doesn't faze
them. When I had the second BE, the prep didn't clean me out good enough. So a
little brunette CNA took me down the hall to an empty patient's room, and gave
me a particularly unpleasant round of cleansing enemas to get me ready. I was
ready to quit, but they talked me into going through with it. When having a BE
test, the technologist sticks a blue plastic nozzle up your butt about 4 or 5
inches. It doesn't hurt, but the inflatable balloon on the tip of the nozzle can
be a little unpleasant. You'll definitely be glad the instant she pulls it out.
But the most unpleasant (painful actually) part of the test is holding all that
barium inside you....in contorted and uncompromising positions.....even much
much worse if air is injected to improve X-ray contrast. When she takes the
nozzle out, there's a good chance you'll shit barium all over the table and
floor before you make it to the toilet. Don't be ashamed, because it happens
more times than not, and the women doing the test will be very understanding if
they have any experience at all. There's worse things than getting a barium
enema, but avoid the BE if you possibly can.

April 11, 2013

I had one when I was 17. I was having some really bad stomach problems at the
time and my pediatrician scheduled me to have a barium enema. According to my
doctor, barium enemas are pretty uncommon in younger people, but my case was
severe enough to have the procedure done.

The day of the procedure, me and my parents checked in. Then we waiting till the
nurse called me to get prepped. When I got called, I was taken into a room with
several doors and lockers. The nurse told me to remove all my clothes and put on
a gown and some gown underwear thing. After I changed, the nurse came and led me
into a room and had me lie on the table. He briefly examined my stomach and
asked me if anything was hurting and that usually stuff. After the brief the
exam, I was led into an adjacent room that had a larger table and a lot of
equipment around it. There were about 4 or 5 people in the room both nurses and
techs. One of the nurse told me to remove the gown underwear and lie on the side
on the table.

As I was laying on my side, the tech told me that it was going to feel very
uncomfortable and explained that he was going to insert a nozzle into my rectum
and inflate a small balloon so that my body couldn't push out the nozzle while
they were inserting the barium. It's kind of hard to explain what it felt like.
For the most part, it is as uncomfortable as it gets. Like borderline of pain
and maximum discomfort. It feels like something is filling up your stomach with
air and it kind of feels like something is bubbling in your stomach. Pretty weird.
The procedure felt like it took hours, but in reality it last from about 20-30
minutes. During the inserting of barium they take x-ray pictures of your stomach
from different angles. (Rolling into different positions with that nozzle in
there was no fun either). After they finished the procedure. They took me into a
bathroom so that I can release all of the barium. Which basically makes your
poop white (for a few days actually).

Overall, a rather discomforting experience and don't want to go through it
again. But, it isn't the worse thing to happen. If it's any help, it's not
painful at all. But however you describe as being really uncomfortable, that
would be the best way to describe the experience. Even more so, because I was a
kid and probably already wasn't handling the situation very well.

April 7, 2013

Apparently my home prep wasn't good enough, so I got 2
enemas before the test. That was bad enough, then he gave me the BE.
I was crying and begging him to stop because I had bad cramps, but he wouldn't.
He just kept telling me to

"pant like a puppy." A week later I got another enema
because the barium caused constipation. Never again! Humiliating.
Embarrassing. Horrible.

March 28, 2013

By the size of the enema bag, I donít think it was more than 2 quarts,
and was hung about 2ft above me. The tech raised the bag as she gave me
the enema, and after making me turn over in different positions, she
lowered the bag, and drained out the barium. I donít think there was
enough in the enema bag, because she raised and lowered the bag three
times. The amount of air she pumped into me wasn't enough to cause
cramps, and I think they really didnít know what they were doing,
because it took over an hour and fifteen minutes, and was not
uncomfortable. When she told me to expel in the bathroom, nothing came
out, and she didnít bother to clean out the remaining barium.

November 2, 2012

I was very nervous. Female tech was very gentle but had a difficult time
inserting nozzle. She had me breathing deeply. Overall, the exam wasn't as bad
as I thought it would be. Although my bottom was very sore, my husband gave me a
warm water enema when I got home so I could get rid of the extra barium.

October 9, 2012

After reading all these posts about how bad it is, I was surprised at how
unimpressive it was. Nobody gave me prep instructions, so I went online to a
Radiology site and found the best prep I could find and took the castor oil and
bisacodyl tabs, but skipped the morning enema, and after the scout x ray, the
tech said I was alright to proceed. She then had me turn on my left side, and
inserted the nozzle. seemed unsure of the proper angle, and it was almost
painful. they then put me on my back, and the tech started the enema. The enema
bag was a lot smaller than what I read about, and looked like a standard
disposable hospital bag of the EZM type. It looked like there was only about two liters in the bag, and it was hung about
two feet over my hips. They had me turn to my left side, then on to my back
again. The tech then raised the bag, but I couldn't see how high, but I felt the
increase in pressure, and the bag emptied. I was in no distress ever during the
entire procedure, even when the put the air in, after they put the bag on the
floor to drain me. After they turned me in different positions, they raised the
enema bag again and refilled me, taking more pictures. They did this process
ONCE MORE before it was over, and I was on the table over an hour. Never had
cramps, or any distress.I get the impression the test was not done right. From the time I walked into
the hospital to schedule the exam, to the end of the exam, I got the impression
of sub standard service. Very disappointed. They let me leave the hospital with
barium still in me, as I couldn't expel it.

February 7, 2012

I
arrived at the radiology department of my local hospital at 9:30AM. I
was asked to come back by a girl working in the exam room. She showed me
a paper gown and told me to undress completely and put my clothes and
watch in a provided plastic bag. She told me to come out of the changing
room after I put the gown on, and turn left to the next door that led to
the exam room.

The room was
dimly lit and had pink colored tile with the usual stainless steel table
and x-ray machine. There was two female technologists, one young and one
middle aged. I was asked to lay on the x-ray table for a series of
"scout shots". The second shot showed signs that the my laxative bowel
prep was unsuccessful. The older tech asked me if I wanted to skip the
test for a day and redo the laxative prep, or be given a cleansing enema
right then so the test could go as planned. I hated the taste of the
laxative, and just one more enema couldn't be all that bad, so I chose
the enema.

They took me back to the changing room to
wait about 20 minutes, then came back and took me to an adjacent room
with a toilet and exam table. A large clear bag filled full with milky
solution was hanging on an IV stand. It had clear tubing and the final
7" or 8" of the tube was larger diameter (penny width) translucent blue
with two holes at the end. After about 5 minutes, a 35ish or 40ish
female CNA came in and told me she was going to give me a full saline
enema bowel prep to flush out remaining stool that was still in my
ascending colon. She had me get on my left side and bend my right knee
to my chest, and had me put my left arm behind my back. She lubricated
the enema tip with K-Y, then proceeded to raise my right buttock. With
my buttocks spread, she asked me to take a deep breath...the tip was
placed at my anus... then exhale, as she swiftly slid the tip up into my
rectum 4"-5" with one well guided push. The insertion didn't hurt, but
did feel uncomfortably invasive because I hadn't had anything inserted
rectally since I was a child.

The nurse promptly opened the clamp, and I
was greeted with a sudden gush of very warm saline that actually felt a
little too hot for comfort. I cramped at about half a bag, so she
stopped several times till most of it was in. She helped me off the
table and to the commode. Standing with my back to the commode, she had
me bend over a little, and with one audible slurp she removed the tip
from my rectum. I quickly sat on the commode and exploded out the
saline. The scout x-rays that followed passed with flying colors and the
barium enema was prepared. I was helped onto the ice cold x-ray table by
the young technologist. She told me to bring both knees toward my chest.
I saw her lubricate a light blue barium tip, and asked her if it was
going to hurt. She said it wasn't nothing bad as it looked, just mildly
uncomfortable for a few seconds. Just as the nurse before, she raised my
butt cheek and told me to breath in and then exhale. This time I felt a
pressure and a little discomfort that faded as the nozzle passed my
sphincter, and was inserted fully up my rectum.

Next she inflated the tip, and I gasped in
surprise. It felt like a sensation to break wind just inside my
butthole. She opened the clamp and in came a torrent of cool feeling
barium. I held almost 3/4 of the bag till 9 x-rays were taken, and the
tech had me get off the table and bend forward. She deflated the tip,
slowly removed it, and I raced to expel in the nearby commode. Back on
the table again, the nozzle was reinserted, a little more uncomfortable
this time because my anus was getting sore. Tip re-inflated, then the
tech tells me she's going to put air into my colon to get double
contrast x-rays. I started cramping suddenly, like mild gas pains.
Then the cramping got worse...a few x-rays taken...I had to turn onto my
right side. By now the cramps were getting unbearable...the last 3
x-rays taken. She opened the valve and I felt immediate relief. She
removed the nozzle from my rectum and helped me off the table. I went
back to the commode to expel residual barium and the remaining air. I
got dressed, and the tech said the test went well. She gave me a bag
with a couple fleet enemas to take back home. She told me to take them
about 4 hours apart to get any residual barium out. My wife recommended
that I go have a colonic to make sure all of it was out. I managed to
get an appointment with her therapist the next day, of which that
experience was a piece of cake compared to the barium enema.

The barium test itself concluded
that hard stool had scraped the upper portion of my rectum, causing
bleeding. I'm bothered by occasional constipation anyway, so the results
were a relief since it wasn't anything serious. I don't want to have to
go through with a barium enema ever again. I have colonics often to help
keep my bowels in check

After having enemas until clear, I was
already pretty sore. Since I was a kid, my feelings weren't considered. The
entire process was all a matter-of fact. The nozzle was put in. the barium was
pushed in. I was moved around on the table to get several angles. The barium was
drained. the air was pumped in for what seemed like forever. Just to make the
day complete, I was given a large volume, retention enemata make sure the barium
was cleaned out.

It took too long, it felt as
though I had to
move my bowels, the nurses tended to ignore my discomfort but kept telling me
that it would only take a little longer, but it took much longer and was very
uncomfortable, it took forever after the exam to expel the barium and I had to
receive several big (2 qt), uncomfortable, hard to hold, rinse enemas

I was told to lay down on my left side, the
doctor did the rectal and then inserted the nozzle and then was told to lay on
my stomach while he pumped in the barium. The cramps were bad but then I got
used to it. He used a lot of air on me. Then took a bunch of x-rays, was let up
to go and release the barium more pictures and then laid back on my stomach
while they removed the nozzle took 3 more pictures and went home

There were three female technologists, 2
students and one "supervisor", I was embarrassed, being 19 at the time of my
exam. When I was allowed to go the bathroom, I was escorted by two of them to
the bathroom , having to hold the entire bag of barium inside of me, while they
walked m to the bathroom. When we got to the bathroom, they let the air out of
the balloon and pulled the horrible tube out of my butt. I remember feeling
faint, so, as I sat there on the toilet, evacuating, one of them held my hand
and stayed with me. I felt humiliated.

The tech kept the bag out of sight behind me
and never showed the nozzle. She lubed it with surgilube and lifted my right
buttock and inserted the nozzle without fanfare. The barium was started right
away and was cold and uncomfortable. The tech pressed on my abdomen and had me
roll into different positions. While on my back, they introduced the air -
ouch!- and pressed on my abdomen again. After several exposures, they lowered
the bag and opened the clamp to allow the barium to flow back out of me. Such
relief! After a couple more pictures I was allowed to get up and go to the
bathroom and eliminate the barium. My anus was irritated from the chalky stuff
for days.

I walked into the room which was COLD, and
sat down and waited for the doctor. He came in and explained the enema to me and
asked why I was to have this done. He told me how far he would put the tube in
and that he was going to do a rectal on me first. I got on the table and laid on
my left side while he did the rectal and placed the enema tube. Then I was told
to lay on my stomach (face down) and relax. I heard him click the clamp open and
I felt the cool barium enter my rectum. It kept filling me up till I could
hardly stand it. He said he made it all the way to my cecum and then did a
couple of pictures. He then lowered the barium enema bag to take out some barium
and pushed in more air. I counted 7 puffs of air and then some more went in. I
was in so much discomfort at this time. They kept telling me to roll all over
the place to keep the barium from pooling up in my colon. After an hour of this
they finally took out the enema tube and let me go to the bathroom. Then I went
back into the room and they took a couple more x-rays and then I went home. After
I got home I took 2 water enemas to get the barium out of me.

The nozzle was put into my bottom and I had
to move into different positions while the barium went in. It felt like I would
burst. Eventually I was allowed to go to the toilet. I thought it was over, but
then I had to have another examination when they pumped air into me> I thought I
was going to die it was so embarrassing

I had gone to the outpatient clinic at the
college medical facility two or three times because of abdominal pains, which
were left-sided. Each time, a history was taken by the triage nurse and then I
was referred to the physician, who did an exam including palpation. The last
time, he also did a digital rectal exam. Since he didn't find anything
significant other than the pain and some tenderness, he decided that a barium
enema would be useful and ordered it. Because the college was in a semi-rural
location, it had a hospital with space to admit students with illnesses or
injuries requiring observation and nursing care, though no surgery was performed
there. I was told that the test involved filling my bowel with a barium solution
and then taking x-rays to see if any abnormalities appeared, and that it would
feel like an ordinary enema, except that I would have to hold it until all the
x-rays were taken and that a special tip would be used to help me retain the
solution for the time required. I was told I would need to come back that
afternoon for admission and preparation for the exam (I saw the doctor in the
morning). I was told to not eat any solids at lunch, just tea, coffee and Jell-O.
When I went to the front desk mid-afternoon, I was signed in and taken to a ward
that I was the sole occupant of. I was given a hospital gown the usual
open-backed type and a robe and told to undress, put my clothes in a locker and
notify the charge nurse when I had finished changing. I did so, in a somewhat
apprehensive mood I will say. The charge nurse was not too old - mid=30s I guess
and a pretty no-nonsense character. She asked me if I'd ever had an enema, and
when I said I had, she asked if they had been given with a bag or a bulb and how
I had been positioned. I told her that my mother had given me enemas with a
combination syringe and I had to lie on my tummy on the bathroom floor. She told
me that she would be giving them in a slightly different fashion and they
probably would be less uncomfortable, as getting an enema lying prone was likely
to be uncomfortable. She then conducted me to a treatment room, told me to go
tot he toilet annex and empty my bladder. When I returned, she had prepared the
enema in a white enamel can. She had me take the robe off and get on an exam
table and roll onto my left side and pull my knees up, and after lubricating me
by inserting a lubed finger and then the rectal rube, gave me the enema. This was
repeated several times at intervals, the last (third or fourth) just before
bedtime. I had a liquid (broth, juice, tea, and Jell-O) dinner. The next morning,
I was given one more enema and then after expelling it and resting for a half
hour or so escorted tot he X-ray room, where the doctor was waiting. The barium
enema had already been prepared and was in a large stainless steel can with
amber latex tubing and the retention tip hanging down. I looked - larger than the
cans used for the enemas I'd already had and did cause some increase in
apprehension. The doctor gave an explanation of the procedure, telling me that
the barium solution would be injected just like the prep enemas, except I'd have
a special nozzle to help me retain it, and would have to change positions while
it w running in. After I had gotten on the table, the tip was inserted and the
balloon blown up, which felt decidedly odd. The barium was run in, while the
filling was monitored on a fluoroscope, with x-rays taken at intervals. I was
asked to turn on my back, then right side and on my tummy (which way really
uncomfortable, when my by then somewhat swollen abdomen was compressed. After all
the x-rays desired were taken I was back on my back, and the can was lowered to
a location below the table and the barium solution drained out, with observation
on the fluoroscope. When I had drained adequately, air was pumped in. I was
warned it would make me feel full and would be a ;little bit uncomfortable. That
was a lie. It got beyond uncomfortable and hurt. And while I as waiting for the
x-rays to be developed, the cramps got really bad and practically doubled me up
several times. The doctor came back and took some additional films because some
hadn't come out the way he wanted them, which took linger and increased
discomfort, but they finally took me to a toilet annex and removed the tube. I
blew the air and some barium out. When I was through I was allowed to put the
robe back on and escorted back to my bed and told to rest for a while. A pad was
put on the bed over the sheets "in case I leaked" - which I did, I had a sudden
expulsion of gas and some barium remnants. As instructed, I notified the nurse.
She told me it was to be expected and had me go to the bathroom to clean up,
while she replaced the pad. After about an hour, she took me to the treatment
room and gave me a soapsuds enema, and after checking the returns and making
sure I felt OK, allowed me to dress and signed me out, with instructions to
return the next morning for another enema as the barium was very constipating
and could cause problems if not completely removed. That would have been in
1961, and none of the barium enemas I've had since were much like that first
one. Or at least the preps weren't, nor the after-care.

It was much worse than a colonoscopy. I was
given a very large tap water prep enema before the procedure. The technician
lubricated my rectum with her finger and inserted the inflatable nozzle, then it
was inflated. The inflation was uncomfortable in itself, and made my rectum feel
very full. Then the barium was started. It was cooler than body temperature, and
I could feel it filling each part of my colon. It was uncomfortable. I would
estimate that I was given about 2 liters. I might have lost control if not for
the inflatable nozzle. I was quite uncomfortable, but by now I had lost all
modesty and no longer worried about the backless gown and my exposure. After
draining the barium, I was filled with air. This was manually pumped in by a
hand bulb attached to the hose of the syringe. I could feel each pump as it was
put into me. At first it felt uncomfortable, like having gas. Soon, however it
became more painful. By the time the procedure was over I was begging the
technician to stop, and she was telling me to just take a little more and I
would be finished. Finally, I was finished and allowed to go to the bathroom and
void my colon. I had foolishly worn rather tight jeans and was not even able to
get them zipped after the procedure. I made my husband walk in front of me to
somewhat conceal this fact as I left the hospital. This was all in all one of
the worst medical procedures I have ever had. Very uncomfortable, even painful,
and completely degrading. The technician was nice and tried to minimize the
pain, but there was really not too much she could do. Much worse than a
colonoscopy

I checked into the radiology
department and was told to wait. After a few minutes, the technologist came to
get me. I was taken to a dressing room and told to remove all of my clothes and
put on a pair of hospital pants and a backless gown. She came back for me and
took me to the exam room. There was an x-ray table and beside it was an IV pole
with a bag of white barium that was full. From it was a long clear tube filled
with the barium and at the end of it, hanging from the IV pole was an inflatable
bardex nozzle. After telling me what was going to happen, she told me to remove
my pants and lay on my left side on the exam table. She moved the gown aside to
expose my bottom. Next I felt her spread my bottom apart and insert her finger
all the way into my rectum. The she touched the end of the bardex nozzle to my
anus and began pushing it inside. It was wide and when it finally popped into my
rectum it literally took my breath away. She covered me with a sheet and told me
the radiologist would be in shortly. She returned with him and the barium was
started. It felt cold. The x-ray machine made a lot of noise as the pictures
were taken and the technologist had me turn in many different directions as the
barium went into me. I felt full be it wasn't painful. After a few minutes the
barium was drained by her putting the bag on the floor. During all the turning,
the sheet had fallen on the floor and I was laying face down on the table with
the tube coming out of my exposed bottom. She took a few more x-rays and then I
was told to lay on my left side again. She deflated the nozzle and then pulled
it out of my rectum. Again, I gasped. She told me to go to the bathroom and
empty and clean up which I did and then she took a couple more x-rays. Overall
the experience wasn't as bad as I expected. Fortunately everything was normal.